Building wall material



May 25, 1965 w, w. RUTLEDGE BUILDING WALL MATERIAL Filed April 2l. 1961 1N VEN T 0R. VV/A fam ,Parle-a6:

l z Md 7 ATTZ/VAEY United States Patent O 3,185,297 y BUILDING WALL MATERIAL William W. Rutledge, 407 Crosby Circle, Greenville, S.C. Filed Apr. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 104,684 3 Claims. (Cl. 20d-59) This invention relates to improvements in materials for providing the finish surfaces of walls and ceilings of buildings and particularly to a Prefabricated plastering combination usable either with or Without wood or metal lath or plaster board, and either as a wall per se or a finish for an existing wall.

The usual plastering is fairly expensive to apply tov Walls etc. as it requires a number of coats, such plastering also cracks easily, is affected by atmospheric conditions at the time the plastering is done and varies considerably in nal strength. Such Plastering walls are also affected by the skill of the'Workman in proportioning and mixing the plaster composition, the addition of chemicals to control the setting time and the working qualities of the plaster and the like, and in determining the kind and quantity of aggregate or ller used. However, plastered Walls and ceilings have advantages of better appearance, `resistance to re, sound insulating qualities and other desirable qualities as compared to the usual prefabricated Wall material, which qualities are to be retained while the above disadvantages are to be avoided.

The present invention provides a combination of plaster on a supporting strip, which may include lath and which is prefabricated so that it may be rolled for shipment,

and in use is simply unrolled and immediately applied K either to the frame forming part of aV Wall or to an existing wall which is to be surfaced or resurfaced. After the attachment of the present plaster-lath structure to the wall frame or to an existing wall, the plaster is wetted with Water and it can soon be Worked as usual. The setting time for the present product is of the order of twenty minutes While the setting time for the usual plaster is several hours. The usual plaster is mixed at one location and then distributed to various locations for use so that a longer setting time is essential. shorter setting time for the present product is ample as such time begins only after wetting and after the present article is in place, and less than the twenty minutes is sufiicient for all the working required.

Generally, the present lath-plaster combination includes flexible lath of some kind and preferably metal lath which can be shaped into curves, into small angles of walls and the like. For some uses, a gypsum plaster is bonded directly on the lath by a material securing good adhesion of plaster to the lath. For other uses, the plaster is also reinforced by a batt of fibrous material into which the plaster penetrates for some distance, as well as being bonded to the lath.

In the drawings:

FIG. l represents a portion of a batt of fibrous material which serves, either as the only base and carrier for a plasticizable wall surfacing material or as a part of such carrier.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of a portion of an article to be made and handled in roll form and applied in strips to framing for forming a wall, and which carries surface materials to be Worked to provide a plaster Wall surface.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a method and means for manufacturing the present article.

The lath is preferably of the expanded metal or wire mesh type so that it may be shaped into curves in several dimensions and shaped into angles of the walls or to extend from the general wall surface and the like. However where cost is the overriding factor, wooden lath connected by wire as in the usual snow fencing may be used. The lath supports and has attached thereto a batt However, the

3,185,297 Patented May 25, 1965 ICC of fibrous material such as glass fiber. The lath and batt carry a layer of a plasticizable material tobe worked to give the same effect as a plastered wall. The lath-fibrous ,strip structure is especially suitable to forma complete wall etc. by attachment to the wall framing parts. However, only the fibrous .strip is used when an existing Wall is to be reiinished and eitherform is herein called lathing.

The lathing carries a water-plasticizable form of gypsum which penetrates into the lath and into the fibrous strip and which is well bonded to the surfaces of both the lath and liber. A solution is prepared of organic materials of low water content such as denatured or isopropyl alcohol and a binder such as corn syrup (Corn Products Co. #1132 which contains 80.3% solids and has a viscosity of 14,500 cps. at C.), the maximum usable quantity of the corn syrup being limited by adding the same to the alcohol until the alcohol becomes cloudy whereupon no more of the corn syrup will go into solution. Other low Water content organic liquids which haVe been used satisfactorily are acetone and hexane; and other satisfactory binders are sodium metasilicate, rubber latex, methyl cellulose and polyvinyl alcohol. The sugar syrup binds the gypsum to the lath and to the fibrous batt and the alcoholsyrup is the liquid medium by which dehydrated ground gypsum is put into a paste or slurry form.

However, the plaster can also be applied to the lathing without the use of the alcohol and with water, provided the temperature is kept above F. so that the plaster will not' set. A 5-30% corn syrup-in-water mixture is then used at temperatures up to 212 F., the higher syrup concentration increasing the binding of plaster on the lathirig but decreasing flexibility. The syrup-water is mixedfwith the gypsum at temperatures above 180 F. and below the carmelization Vpoint of the syrup and the mixture is applied to the lathing while hot. The final product is kept slightly above 212 F. until all the water is driven of`r`.

When applied to woven or non-woven lathing in paste form,lthe plaster is only suliciently plastic to ow as it is spread out and leveled by a straight-edged blade. A paste form is preferably used when an existing wall is to be finished so that only a thin lathing is necessary. In such case, the lathing is preferably a screen grid as the plaster paste flows through the screen to bond also to the existing wall surface.

FIG. 1 shows a batt S of fibrous material and preferably of fire resistive material such as glass fiber, which may be made in long rolls and of Widths to span one or more spaces between the studdings in a wall, which are usually on 16" centers. The glass ber in the batt 5 is preferably substantially uniform in diameter and is so interlaced that itis difficult to pull the batt apart. One requirement of the present article is that the batt be of substantially uniform density to avoid the formation of high or hard spots in the finished product.

The completed article (see FIG. 2) comprises the fiber batt 5 with an impregnating layer 6 of dehydrated gypsum from one side and a layer of flexible lath '7 on the other side and bonded to the batt 5 by an impregnating layer 8 of dehydrated gypsum. The lath 7 may be wire connected wood lath or expanded metal lath such as are well known, both kinds of lath having lateral stiffness but being longitudinally flexible so that the finished article may be rolled. The surface layer portions of the gypsum are of such mass only as to provide material for absorbing sufficient water to allow Working of the surface of the gypsum in finishing the wall surface. The slurry is preferably made thin enough to penetrate entirely through the batt-lath rather than penetrating only adjacent the surfaces as shown in FIG. 2. Where a thick and hard wall is desired, the batt-lath must be completely impreg- Y j nated with the gypsum. Under any conditions, enough gypsum must be available for surface finishing as desired and enough binder is used to avoid excess aking off of Yalcohol slurry, which is provided with rollers 11 and 12 respectively at the entrance and exit sides of the tank. Rolls of the batt 5 and the lath 7 are rotatably mounted to be passed simultaneously through the tank 10, with the lath below the glass fiber batt. The relative rate of rotation of rollers 11, 12 is such that the lath and'batt strip S-S sags into the gypsum-alcohol slurry for penetration of the slurrythrough the lath and into or through the batt dependent on slurryrviscosity, speed of batt-lath movement, temperature and the like. T heirnpregnated strip is then passed through a heater 20 for driving olf the alcohol and the vaporized alcohol is recovered in the condenser 21. The dry lathing combination 5-.8 is rolled at 22` to a size which can be readily handled in building construction. We have found that ten parts byrweight of batt will hold up to two hundred parts by weight of gypsum and that only a negligible amount of the gypsum is lost by reason of handling and applying the same.

In using the material, we cut the strip to the required lengths and apply the strips to a Wall frame or an existp ing wall. rThen we supply suicient water to themounted material to cause expansion and softening of the gypsum. In approximately one minute, the surface is workable with the usual plasterers tools, awet paint rolleror the like and continues to be workable for approximately twenty minutes. Obviously, the plaster composition mayalso include ground aggregate or filler, pigments and all other materials now in common use for producing various wall characteristics or finishes. C

The'more important advantages ofthe present article include lower cost of material than when separate metal or wood lath or plaster board and plastering are used. Much less skill is required than heretofore 'for application of the plaster, and a greater area of finished wall is obtained with the present articles as compared to the usual plastered wall. geometric form and greater variety of form is available than in the usual plastered wall. The walls are more shock resistant and more highly resistant to cracking and have increased heat resisting and lowerV heat transmission properties than the usual walls. Denser walls, harder surfaces and other properties are also obtainable with the present products.

The nished surfaces arermore nearly the desired.

I claim: Y

l. In a plaster and plaster Vbase article in roll form for constructing a building Wall, a exible strip of perforated lathing material, and a flexible plaster composition penetrating into the lath perforations and consisting essentially of a hemi-hydrate of gypsum in unset condition for rolling during manufacture and unrolling for use in building, and a compound of the group consisting of corn syrup, sodium meta-silicate, rubber latex, methyl cellulose and polyvinyl alcohol for bonding the unset gypsum to the flexible strip, the gypsum being the essential solid remaining upon setting thereof to rigid condition.

2. In a plaster and plaster base article in roll form for constructing a building wall, a flexible strip of perforated lathing, a liexible strip of permeable fibrous material adjacent to the lathing, and` a flexible plaster composition penetrating the perforations inl the lathing and into the fibrous strip and consisting essentially of a hemi-hydrate of gypsum in unset condition and a compound of the group consisting essentially of corn syrup, sodium metasilicate, rubber latex, methyl cellulose and polyvinyl alcohol for bonding the unset gypsum to the lathing and fibrous material, the gysum being the essential solid remaining upon lsetting thereof to "rigid condition.

3. In a plaster and plaster base article in roll form for constructing a building Wall, a flexible strip of perforated metal lathinga flexible strip of glass fiber batt substan-v tialy in contact with the metal lathing, and a plasterA composition flexible for rolling and unrolling and in a form for penetration through the perforations in thernetal lath and into the glass fiber batt and consisting essentially of unset semi-hydrate of gysum and a compound of the group consisting essentially ofcorn syrup, sodium metasilicate, rubber latex, methyl cellulose and polyvinyl alcohol for bonding the gypsum to and bonding together the metal lath and glass liber batt, the gypsum being the essential solid remaining upon setting thereofY to rigid condition. v

' References` Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,701,125 2/29 Sagendorph 154-45.9 2,694,025 11/ 54 Slayter et al 154-453 2,842,120 7/58 Foglia et al. 106-111 FOREIGN PATENTS Y 582,968 9/59 Canada.

EARL M. BERGERTPrmary Examiner. 

3. IN A PLASTER AND PLASTER BASE ARTICLE IN ROLL FORM FOR CONSTRUCTING A BUILDING WALL, A FLEXIBLE STRIP OF PERFORATED METAL LATHING, A FLEXIBLE STRIP OF GLASS FIBER BATT SUBSTANTIALY IN CONTACT WITH THE METAL LATHING, AND A PLASTER COMPOSITION FLEXIBLE FOR ROLLING AND UNROLLING AND IN A FORM FOR PENETRATION THROUGH THE PERFORATIONS IN THE METAL LATH AND INTO THE GLASS FIBER BATT AND CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF UNSET SEMI-HYDRATE OF GYSUM AND A COMPOUND OF THE GROUP CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF CORN SYRUP, SODIUM METASILICATE, RUBBER LATEX, METHYL CELLULOSE AND POLYVINYL ALCOHOL FOR BONDING THE GYPSUM TO AND BONDING TOGETHER THE METAL LATH AND GLASS FIBER BATT, THE GYSUM BEING THE ES- 